How Great We Art?

What is the subject of God’s word - the Bible?

It may seem like a simple question, but is it? The Bible is about God, sure, but is it the story of God trying to save people, people trying to find God and get saved, God revealing something about Himself and saving people in the process or something else altogether?  It is common for people, especially when it comes to evangelism, to tell of God’s great love for mankind and define the story/purpose of the Bible accordingly – God’s wonderful plan to redeem sinners through Jesus, because of His love for them. This “God’s love for man” description of the Bible’s story is certainly found in the Bible and extremely important, but is it the main story in scripture or is it a part of some greater/more important purpose?

Already you may be asking what could be more important than God’s love for people as expressed in Jesus? An easy answer would be - anything God says is more important! If we were one part of a greater God centered purpose of the Bible how would that affect how we understand scripture?  

                The simple question becomes is the Bible about man or God, man focused or God focused? Here are two possible summary statements of the Bible depending on its purpose:

The Bible tells the story of God redeeming sinners through the work of Jesus Christ on account of His great love for mankind.

The Bible tells the story of God redeeming sinners (Who He loves) through the work of Jesus Christ for the purpose of glorifying Himself.

You don’t need to know a lot of the Bible to get the overall message if it is simply the story of God’s love for mankind as demonstrated by Jesus. If you understand how much Jesus loves you (as Jesus showed on the cross) then you pretty much get the whole story of the Bible. Modern evangelism and church teaching certainly reflects this kind of an understanding of scripture as the message is often reduced simply to “God loves you”. If you don’t believe He loves you a little more of the story can be told until you get it. However, if the Bible is about God glorifying Himself, then all the details become very important as each is a potential source of His glory. The Old Testament may seem almost counter productive to telling people of God’s love for man if that is the main story/purpose of the Bible, but it may be infinitely valuable in revealing other things about God for His glory. Love, grace, mercy, justice, holiness and even wrath are just some of the many attributes of God found in the scriptures which can bring Him glory. If it is all about us, our redemption for our sake, then many things simply become unnecessary details or means to the end of saving us.  

Some examples of seeing scripture through two different understandings of its story/purpose:

David fights Goliath - (1 Sam. 17)

Man centered: An insignificant shepherd boy (who God loves) shows great courage and sets an example for all of us to follow as he slays Goliath with his great slinging skills!

God centered: When God’s chosen (loved) people and their tall/impressive king (Saul) are terrified and on the verge of defeat by the God’s people mocking Philistines/Goliath, God used the least of the least (David) to defeat them that all glory would be His!

David and Bathsheba - (2 Sam. 11-12)

Man centered: David (who God loves), has a weak moment that leads to his adultery with Bathsheba, the killing of her husband, and widespread bloodshed among David’s children, teaching us how important it is to not give ourselves opportunity for sin.

God centered: God shows that He is able to fulfill His covenant with Abraham/descendants (who He loves), particularly through the line of David and that it will surely be by God’s grace and power for God’s glory alone, since David (like all people) is guilty of very heinous sins!

 Doesn’t God love David and want us to learn from David’s successes and failures? Surely, but who is the subject or hero of both stories – David or God? Are we to walk away talking about David’s strength, courage and failures or God’s glory and power in accomplishing His plans through His chosen, yet weak and undeserving people!

The Bible certainly tells of God’s love for His people – Rom. 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (NKJV)

But is this demonstration of His love ultimately about us or Him and His glory?

Luke 24:25 Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. (NKJV) Jesus claimed that even the Old Testament was about Him and His glory!

The Psalmist/David understood the God centeredness (“His name’s sake”) of redemption individually and for the nation –

Psalm 25:11 For Your name’s sake, O LORD, Pardon my iniquity, for it is great. (NKJV)

 Psalm 106:7 Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders;
         They did not remember the multitude of Your mercies,
         But rebelled by the sea—the Red Sea.
         8 Nevertheless He saved them for His name’s sake,
         That He might make His mighty power known. (NKJV)

Salvation for what purpose -

Eph. 1:11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. (NKJV) Our redemption is clearly something He purposed, even before creating this world, for His glory!

Col. 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. (NKJV) In absolutely everything relating to creation Jesus will have preeminence - glory!

John 17:1 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 4 I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. (NKJV) The Father had infinite glory already, but there is some glory related purpose in the work Jesus did for the Father on earth in redeeming all who He was given! Jesus is not shy in discussing the glory He and the Father deserve/have!

The God/Jesus glorifying purpose is the thing on display at the culmination/renewal of creation.

Rev. 21:22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. 24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. (NKJV)

The redemption of God’s people through the work Jesus did on the cross is clearly part of God’s greater plan/purpose to glorify Himself in all things. God obviously had all His attributes including grace, mercy, justice, holiness, wrath, etc. before this world existed, but He purposed to display these attributes in creation as recorded in the Bible for the purpose of glorifying Himself.  

Does God love His people and express that love in the work of Jesus Christ – YES. We are blessed beyond belief as His chosen/loved people to be able to experience firsthand the glory of God. However, the main story of the Bible is God glorifying Himself in all things and His love for His people as shown in our redemption in Jesus Christ is a beautiful, blessed, wonderful means to that most worthy and glorious end!  

How Great Thou Art!